March Madness Preview: Conference Tournament Predictions for 2025

The air is thick with anticipation as college basketball hurtles toward Selection Sunday and the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This week, conference tournaments take center stage, acting as the final act for many Division 1 teams across the nation. For squads teetering on the bubble and those desperate to salvage underwhelming seasons, the stakes are astronomically high. Only 68 coveted spots await in the NCAA Tournament field, with a mere 31 guaranteed through automatic bids awarded to each conference tournament champion. The pressure cooker is on, and upsets are brewing.

This year’s conference tournament landscape is a fascinating mix of established powerhouses and potential Cinderella stories. While leagues like the SEC, Big Ten, and Big East are projected to be wide-open battles, the ACC (Duke) and Big 12 (Houston) feature clear favorites. And as always, lurking in the shadows are potential "bid thieves," teams outside the NCAA Tournament picture who could snatch an automatic bid and shatter brackets nationwide.

Experts are meticulously dissecting matchups, analyzing team dynamics, and making their predictions for each conference tournament. However, a consensus remains elusive, highlighting the inherent unpredictability of March Madness. Let’s delve into a breakdown of various predictions for key men’s college basketball conference tournaments across the country.

ACC Tournament: Duke’s Domain?

The Atlantic Coast Conference appears to be Duke’s to lose.

• ESPN: Jeff Borzello, Joe Lunardi, Myron Medcalf, and ESPN analytics all unanimously favor Duke to capture the ACC tournament title. Lunardi emphasizes Duke’s dominance, noting their exceptional average margin of victory (23.2 points per game) in conference play. He suggests a Duke loss in the ACC tournament would constitute a significant upset.
• Greenville News: Derrian Carter predicts Duke will overcome Clemson in the championship game. Despite recognizing Clemson’s potential to break their ACC tournament losing streak, Carter believes history will repeat itself, with Duke emerging victorious.
• Bleacher Report: Nicholas Nathanson echoes this sentiment, anticipating a Duke-Clemson final, with Duke avenging a potential regular-season loss.

Big Ten Tournament: A Wide-Open Affair

The Big Ten tournament is shaping up to be a fiercely competitive showdown.

• Detroit Free Press: Jared Ramsey envisions Wisconsin capitalizing on a hot streak, fueled by their three-point shooting prowess, to claim the tournament crown.
• Indianapolis Star: Zach Osterman leans towards Wisconsin, while Michael Niziolek favors Michigan State. Niziolek highlights Michigan State’s late-season surge, predicting their first Big Ten tournament title since 2019.
• ESPN: The ESPN panel, including Borzello, Lunardi, and Medcalf, showcases the Big Ten’s unpredictability by selecting different winners: Maryland, Michigan State, and Michigan, respectively.
• The Field of 68: This platform also highlights the Big Ten’s competitiveness, featuring Maryland, Wisconsin, and Illinois as potential champions.

Big 12 Tournament: Houston’s Quest for Dominance

The Big 12 tournament promises a clash of titans, with Houston seeking to solidify their status as a national contender.

• Arizona Republic: Jeremy Cliff anticipates a Houston-Texas Tech final, showcasing two of the conference’s elite teams.
• ESPN: Lunardi believes Houston has regained its form, boasting an improved offense and a potent combination of scoring guard L.J. Cryer and dependable forward J’Wan Roberts. He sees Iowa State or Houston as the winner.
• The Field of 68: This source echoes the sentiment, highlighting Houston or Texas Tech as likely contenders.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller leans towards Iowa State, emphasizing their impressive record when all key players are healthy and available.

SEC Tournament: A Battle for Supremacy

The Southeastern Conference tournament is expected to be a hard-fought battle among the league’s top teams.

• ESPN: Borzello suggests that the SEC’s depth and competitiveness may prevent the favorite from ultimately winning the tournament. He picks Auburn or Florida.
• The Field of 68: Experts are split on who will win the SEC tournament, reflecting the conference’s parity.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller is placing his bet on Florida, highlighting their recent success, including road wins against Auburn and Alabama, and their relentless offensive attack.

Big East Tournament: UConn vs. The Field

The Big East tournament offers a fascinating storyline, with UConn aiming to solidify their national championship aspirations against a hungry field.

• ESPN: Borzello favors UConn, citing the potential narrative and Alex Karaban’s shooting ability as key factors. He picks UConn or St. John’s.
• The Field of 68: Experts are divided on the Big East outcome, highlighting the league’s competitive balance.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller is going with St. John’s, emphasizing their potential to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament and benefit from favorable geographic positioning.

AAC Tournament: Memphis’s Opportunity

The American Athletic Conference tournament presents Memphis with a chance to assert their dominance.

• ESPN: The ESPN panel unanimously picks Memphis to win the AAC tournament, with Lunardi highlighting their "routine" performance in league play.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller believes Memphis will overcome challenges and silencing doubters to capture the conference title.
• VSiN: Zachary Cohen offers an alternative perspective, suggesting North Texas could pose a significant threat, particularly with their strong defense and heightened motivation to secure an NCAA Tournament bid.

Atlantic-10 Tournament: VCU’s to Lose?

The Atlantic-10 Conference tournament could be VCU’s springboard to March success.

• ESPN: The ESPN panel is united in their support for VCU, with Medcalf emphasizing their recent dominance and decisive victory over George Mason.
• The Field of 68: Experts are split, acknowledging the presence of other viable contenders.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller acknowledges VCU’s strength but cautions against potential "bid thieves" lurking in the A-10.

Mountain West Tournament: A Vegas Showdown

The Mountain West Conference tournament promises a captivating battle in Las Vegas.

• ESPN: Medcalf highlights New Mexico’s resilience and strong defense, crediting head coach Richard Pitino for their success. He also mentions Utah State.
• The Field of 68: San Diego State or Colorado State are the preferred winners in this scenario.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller sees Utah State rebounding from a recent slump to capture their first MWC tournament title since 2019, highlighting the tournament’s wide-open nature.

WCC Tournament: Gonzaga vs. Saint Mary’s, Round Three?

The West Coast Conference tournament is likely to be dominated by the Gonzaga-Saint Mary’s rivalry.

• ESPN: Medcalf favors Saint Mary’s, citing their regular-season sweep over Gonzaga and their defensive prowess. He picks Gonzaga or Saint Mary’s.
• Bleacher Report: Kerry Miller acknowledges Gonzaga’s historical dominance in the WCC tournament but recognizes Saint Mary’s potential to complete a three-game sweep.
• VSiN: Zachary Cohen believes Gonzaga will be motivated to avenge their regular-season losses to Saint Mary’s and highlights their strong offensive efficiency.

As the conference tournaments unfold, the path to March Madness will become clearer. Expect upsets, nail-biting finishes, and plenty of drama as teams battle for automatic bids and jockey for position in the NCAA Tournament bracket. The madness is about to begin.